Bedtime Fairytales
by Twilight Vestige
Summary: “Once upon a time, in a land not too different from our own, was a great race of Squirrels known as the Kulas of Conk...”


"Aw c'mon Mum, it's only ten thirty!" The child shook his mother's apron roughly in protest, while trying to suppress an oncoming yawn.

"And that's late enough, you need your sleep." The mother concluded, scooping up her son and proceeding to his room.

"_But Mum_! I'm _seven years old_ now, I think I'm old enough to stay up late," the boy argued back.

"Was that a yawn I just heard, Mr. Man?"

"No…" he mumbled, pouting.

"I think it was; you've played all day today. It's time to go to sleep now."

"But I don't wanna sleep now!"

"Don't argue with me," the woman spoke, her tone stern, "I say it's time to go to sleep."

The little boy sighed heavily, allowing his mother to take him upstairs. Flicking a switch on the wall, light immediately flooded the room. Approaching the little bed in the corner of the room and pulling back the covers, she sat her son down on the mattress, and kissed his forehead.

"Goodnight," she said quietly, turning to leave.

"Mum, aren't we forgetting something?"

"And what would that be?"

"My bedtime story!"

She sighed, "Not tonight, sweetie, I'm tired."

The little boy stood up suddenly, folding his arms, "I guess I'm not sleeping then!"

The woman had noticed a recent disrespectful and snippy side appearing in her son, whether is was just a phase or not, she didn't know. She _did_ know however, that it was time to play her trump card.

"I don't like the way you've been treating me lately, young man," she announced, hands on hips. "Do you know what happens to naughty little squirrels?"

"No…"

"The Panther King comes for them."

"The… Panther King?" The boy asked, suddenly growing quite interested.

She sat him down on the bed again before taking a seat herself, "Oh yes, the Fairy Panther King," she began, "he snatches up naughty little squirrels who don't go to sleep and sends them to The Dark Place."

The boy cocked his head a little, "That's oddly specific, Mum, is this another one of your stories?"

"Oh I assure you, it's quite true."

"How so?" He asked, crawling into her lap.

She smiled; glad to have caught his interest.

"Well, it goes like this," she placed an arm around him, "Once upon a time, in a land not too different from our own, was a great race of Squirrels known as the Kulas of Conk."

He nodded.

"The Kulas were a highly advanced race of Squirrels that had been around for many, many years; so long in fact, that many believe them to be the oldest line of Squirrels ever known."

"Wow…" the boy whispered, a look of wonder plastered on his face, "how did they live for so long?"

"Nobody knows, but it is assumed that such longevity can be attributed to their leader: the wise and powerful Crusader," she continued, "It was only through his profound guidance, and honest work that the Kulas even become a prosperous people."

"Where does the Panther King fit in with all this?"

"I'm getting there, don't worry," his mother assured.

"Now then, there was another land relatively close to that of the Kulas, the Panthera Territory. This land was occupied by the Panthers, a rather downtrodden and fruitless people."

"Oh," the boy paused, "How come they weren't like the Kulas?"

"A lack of strong leadership I'd assume," his mother replied, "Their greed and jealousy of others prevented them from bettering themselves. They sought to only conquer others in hopes of achieving greatness. They wanted to overthrow the Kulas. This opportunity came about in the form of an alliance with the Kulas when they found themselves in a war against the Weasel King."

"Weasel King? What happened to the Panther King?"

"Don't interrupt, you'll see soon," she said, patting him on the head, "The Weasel King was a madman; he created a breed of soldier to fight his battles for him rather than recruit his own people. These creatures were known as the Tediz."

"He created them?"

"The Tediz were created from teddy bears, and as you'd expect, they weren't the best of fighters."

"Teddy bears? I guess you're right about him being crazy…" the boy shook his head.

"Amidst the fighting a single Panther arose, one that would quickly spell doom for both the Kulas and the Weasel King."

"The Panther King?"

"Yes, although he wasn't known as such then. This man had an extreme envy of the Kulas for their thriving way of life, as well as a hatred of them for allowing a neighboring land to suffer such. With his lust for power and his greed as his motivation, he rose through the ranks, eventually reaching and befriending the Crusader."

"Then what, then what?!" The boy was becoming excited now.

"Hold on now," his mother quieted him, "In an act no one could have predicted, the Panther betrayed the Crusader and the Kulas, utilizing a strange, dark, magic to banish them all to the Dark Place."

The boy was visibly stunned.

"That's not all; the man's actions completely threw the Weasel King through a loop, allowing the Panthers to take his kingdom with ease."

"…What happened to the Weasel King?" The boy piped up.

"They newly crowned Panther King," she paused for dramatic effect, "CHOPPED HIS LEGS OFF!" She made a chopping motion with her arm.

The boy gasped aloud, "Then what, THEN WHAT?!"

"The end."

"That's it?"

"That's why I always tell you to never be materialistic. You'll become a monster that way."

"_That was supposed to help me sleep?!"_

"I would hope so, be a good boy or the Panther King may come for you."

"G-Good night, Mum! S-sorry for being bad!" The little squirrel shouted, making a mad dash under the covers.

His mother smiled, debating on whether she should tell him it was just a story.

"Maybe when he's older…" she thought, turning off the light and gently closing the door.

* * *

"Mum…" Conker spoke quietly, placing a hand on his forehead.

"How right you were…"


End file.
